Argosy All-Story Weekly, Vol. 146 No. 4 — page 114: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

iad by your wife?” he exclaimed. «What are you talking about? Are you * Indeed, I’m not crazy. I insist that I was visited by my wife—spiritually, I mean.” He was silent a moment, gazing steadily at the floor. Suddenly he turned to the prisoner. _ “She came to me while I was asleep,” he continued, his voice filled with emotion. “Seemed to come in a sort of mist. Laid her hands on my face and smiled. I can almost feel her touching me now.” He rose and strode up and down the cell ner- vously. A moment later he seemed to steady him self and resumed his seat. “ It was so nat- ural that I can see it now,” he continued. “Tt seemed that I was looking at a great black cloud which opened suddenly. A dazzling light came through, and I saw her standing there. “She came closer and closer, and finally touched me. She spoke to me. ‘I hope you'll believe after this, dear,’ was all she said. Then I awoke. You can never im- agine how I felt. I was shaking like a leaf. My very being seemed stirred to its foun- dation. I can’t understand what has come over me. Ordinarily I would have laughed at such a thing as a mere dream taking hold of me like that. “Since that night it has preyed on my mind constantly. I have tried to forget. I can’t. The picture of my wife before me seems to haunt me. I’ve got to do some- thing. I must! That’s why I am here.” “T can’t understand, Dr. Ralling,”’ said Sania a trace of bitter sarcasm in his “why you should select me to hear all” this, What good can I do? I have something like four days to my credit. What do you mean by coming to me? What did you mean by saying you would ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. = probably a brutal offer,” he sai ‘i; 3 ever, it should appeal to you, as | your lact chance is gone. Which would you prefer— to go to the chair and be electrocuted by the State, or die as a result of I a) il Lankford drew his breath with a sound and looked at Dr. | “ Good Lord, man!” he faltered, What do you mean?” , “Tl explain briefly,” returned the doc- tor. “I don’t know exactly how to put it. As I told you, I’m a self-confessed infidel. Now I want to try and prove that I am wrong. In the first place, you'll agree that it’s better than to go through the tortures of the chair.” Lankford nodded. “Then I'll enable you to die like that,” said Dr. Ralling, “on condition that you will come back and communicate with me in some manner. I don’t care how you do it—just so you are able to let me know there is something after this life.” Reaching into a pocket, he produced a small phial containing a greenish liquid. “This is a secret preparation,” he said; “ one of a number I’ve discovered. It pro- duces.two kinds of sleep; first natural sleep, then the sleep that knows no awakening. If you accept.my offer I'll give you this bottle. Simply drink it. In a few minutes you'll feel drowsy. That's all there is to it. The poison will be completely absorbed by your system so that the most rigid investigation will reveal nothing.” A strained silence followed as the doctor ceased. Lankford stared straight ahead, breathing heavily. His hands were tightly clinched, showing white along the knuckles. He swallowed frequently. Dr. Ralling’s hand shook like palsy as he returned the phial to his pocket. His face was pale 3s he looked at Lankford for an answer. — “ Good God!” quavered the latter sud-~ denly, bursting into a hysterical laugh whic : caused a shiver to run over the doctor. “Not so loud,” cautioned Dr. Ralling- mth y — -